Chapter 752: Jiaojiao

Shicheng!

Above the Dream-Building Square.

In the void, the demon emperors hidden within space were suddenly thrown into panic.

"Bad!" Kongkong Demon Emperor exclaimed: "The array… the Dream-Building Array, seems to have lost control!"

"No," Zhao Xiangdu shook his head: "It's not lost control—three demon emperors have encountered some unknown situation and fallen into slumber, becoming those who enter the mortal world!"

"Huh?"

Upon Zhao Xiangdu's words, all the demon emperors looked astonished.

Even demon emperors could fall into slumber.

"This… this…" a White Tiger clan demon emperor stammered: "What should we do?"

"No problem!" a Feng clan demon emperor said: "The Dream-Building Array won't harm the prodigies or demon emperors—it's merely slumber, nothing serious!"

"Let the three of them enter and exit the mortal world along with the other prodigies. Hehe… actually, this is quite interesting—I can't help but want to see what kind of spectacle this will be!"

"Amitabha!" Another Buddha Emperor from the Buddhist sect bowed with one hand, chanting: "Old monk believes we should send several demon emperors to pull Mingwang, Jin Gang, and my senior brother out of the dream!"

"Otherwise, if something indecent happens within the dream and their hearts are corrupted, what then?"

Others didn't matter much.

But the Buddhist sect was different.

Buddha emperors were famously serene and detached, devoted solely to the Buddha—if they married and had children in the mortal world, it would be a huge joke.

"Hahaha…" the Feng clan demon emperor laughed heartily: "No problem, no problem… in my view, there's no need to wake them up. Besides, all the prodigies have already entered the dream—going in now might disrupt this test!"

"So, I think we should leave it as is!"

"What do you all think?" After speaking, the Feng clan demon emperor glanced at the others.

Kongkong Demon Emperor said: "I agree with the Feng clan demon emperor!"

"I agree too!"

"I agree as well!"

Soon, over a dozen demon emperors voiced agreement.

Come on—demon emperors competed with each other too; some would gladly see your heart's purity shattered!

As for the human Zhao Xiangdu, he was the Feng clan's servant—naturally, he followed whatever the Feng clan said!

"Amitabha…" The Buddha emperor had no choice. He could only sigh and chant a Buddha's name, silently praying the Buddha would protect his senior brother and spare him from excessive mortal entanglements.

…

"Dong… dong… dong…"

The glowing red iron block, just pulled from the furnace, was swiftly placed on a steel anvil.

A young boy, bare-chested and muscular, swung his black iron hammer with his powerful right arm and smashed it down onto the freshly Chulu iron.

Once!

Twice!

Three times!

Golden sparks flew everywhere.

"Keep your legs still! Don't sway below the waist!"

"Blacksmithing relies on the strength of your waist!"

"Ah… that's right!"

"Isn't this much simpler?"

"Less tiring?"

Sweat dripped from the boy's face; he panted: "Yes, Master—this is much better…"

"Hahaha…" The master, also bare-chested and dressed in coarse hemp, picked up a grimy black rag and stepped forward.

A crisp voice rang out from behind: "Dad… what are you doing?"

"How long has that rag gone unwashed? Don't you find it dirty?"

"Stop! I'll wipe He Pingsheng's sweat!"

A girl in a green dress stepped out from the back room, holding a wooden basin filled halfway with clear water and a pure white towel.

With her slightly rough hands, she twisted the towel twice, then raised it with a smile and wiped the sweat from He Pingsheng's face and neck.

"Pingsheng, feel cooler now?" The girl smiled, breathtakingly beautiful.

"Mmm… yes," He Pingsheng turned and looked at her, nodding contentedly: "Much cooler!"

"Jiaojiao's wiping is so comfortable!"

The old blacksmith laughed heartily, imitating He Pingsheng: "Jiaojiao's wiping is so comfortable!"

Jiaojiao blushed: "Stop it, Dad! You're terrible—what are you saying?"

"Ah…" The old master shook his head: "Your old man's deaf—I didn't say anything. You must've misheard!"

"Puh…" Jiaojiao nearly burst out laughing, but after a few breaths, she straightened and asked: "Dad… when will the imperial summons be finished?"

Kong the blacksmith nodded: "Almost done!"

"In two more days, this batch of iron goods will be ready for submission!"

"After submission, we can live in peace—at least for half a year, we won't have to deal with these damn matters!"

"Oh, by the way… after the iron goods are submitted, you two should get married!"

"Then invite the neighbors for a feast, make some noise!"

Upon hearing this, He Pingsheng and Jiaojiao both blushed.

Yet both wore joyful expressions.

This was a remote frontier town of the Great Song Empire, situated at the border with the northern Gui Fang Empire.

Vast deserts, barren and desolate.

Kong the blacksmith had learned smithing since childhood; in his youth, he answered the imperial call and moved from the heartland of Song to this frontier town, specifically forging for the government—this granted him three hundred acres of wasteland and exemption from annual corvée labor.

His family had lived in this town, called Matou Town, for over twenty years.

Kong's wife died early; he had only this one daughter.

Five or six years ago, a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy wandered to the frontier and was taken in by the kind Kong, becoming his apprentice, learning smithing alongside him, and helping with the three hundred acres of wasteland during farming season. Kong had no son, so he raised He Pingsheng as a half-son.

Year after year, through seasons of cold and heat.

Kong noticed He Pingsheng was not only good-natured and hardworking, but also his daughter's favorite—so he betrothed his daughter Jiaojiao to this apprentice.

They had not yet married.

Seeing the two were no longer young, and his daughter growing ever more beautiful, more and more ill-intentioned people began to appear.

Kong felt it was time to hold their wedding.

Once married, those with ulterior motives would surely calm down.

"Pingsheng, take a rest!" The old man waved his hand: "I'll handle the rest!"

"Yes!" He Pingsheng said: "Thank you, Master!"

"Thank you, Dad!" Jiaojiao smiled too.

The old man grumbled: "You care for him, but not for your old man?"

"Aren't I tired too?"

Jiaojiao blushed, clenched her fists behind her back, and pushed him gently: "Oh, Dad… once I marry Pingsheng, all the heavy work will be his job—you just enjoy your retirement!"

"We'll make sure you live a comfortable old age—how's that?"

Kong the blacksmith beamed: "Now that's more like it!"